What is the World Petroleum Congress?

The World Petroleum Congress (WPC) is the oil and gas industry's premier triennial congress, organised by the World Petroleum Council. It has been held every three years since 1933, bringing together heads of state, energy ministers, NOC and IOC CEOs, and technical experts from across the global petroleum industry. The WPC covers the full upstream-to-downstream value chain: exploration, production, refining, LNG, petrochemicals, and the energy transition. The 2026 edition in Houston is particularly significant as it takes place in the world's most important oil and gas city, home to ExxonMobil, Chevron, Phillips 66, ConocoPhillips, and hundreds of oilfield services companies.

When and where is the World Petroleum Congress 2026?

The World Petroleum Congress 2026 is scheduled for 22–26 September 2026 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, USA. Houston was selected as the host city — the first US hosting since 1987 — reflecting the United States' emergence as the world's largest oil and gas producer following the shale revolution.

How does US shale production affect global petrol prices?

US shale (tight oil) production has transformed global oil markets since 2010. By 2025–2026, the US produces approximately 13–13.5 million barrels per day, making it the world's largest oil producer and net oil exporter. This has capped the upside for Brent crude prices: when prices rise above ~$80–85/barrel, US shale operators expand drilling activity, adding supply that caps further price increases (the 'shale price ceiling'). This structural change means OPEC+ has less pricing power than it did pre-shale. Every $10/barrel increase in crude above $80 typically triggers 50,000–150,000 b/d of additional US shale supply within 6–9 months.

World Petroleum Congress 2026 Houston

Name: World Petroleum Congress 2026
Start: 2026-09-22T09:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-09-26T18:00:00-05:00
Location: George R. Brown Convention Center

Published 1 June 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

Dates 22–26 September 2026

Venue George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas, USA

Organiser World Petroleum Council (WPC)

Scale ~20,000+ delegates; 70+ ministerial delegations; triennial event

Focus Global oil & gas supply, US shale, LNG, energy transition, decarbonisation technology

The World Petroleum Congress comes to Houston in 2026 — the first time the US has hosted the triennial event since 1987, when the previous Houston edition took place amid the wreckage of the 1986 oil price collapse. The choice of Houston reflects a transformed US position: from net oil importer to the world's largest oil and gas producer, a shift driven almost entirely by the shale revolution of 2010–2025.

For the US crude and petrol market context, see our US petrol prices 2026 and US shale oil costs analysis. For live fuel prices in the US and globally, use the fuel price explorer.

Key agenda themes for WPC 2026

Theme	2026 context	Key question
US shale production ceiling	US at 13–13.5 mb/d; Permian Basin growth slowing	How much further can US production grow, and at what cost?
LNG trade expansion	US LNG exports ~15 bcf/d; major new terminals approved	Can US LNG displace Russian pipeline gas in Europe long-term?
OPEC+ strategy	Alliance managing production unwind; Saudi spare capacity	What is the stable price range OPEC+ is targeting?
Carbon capture & storage	IRA tax credits driving US CCS investment boom	Can CCS make US oil and gas low-carbon at scale?
Decarbonising upstream	Methane flaring reduction; electrification of oil fields	Scope 1&2 zero emissions from upstream: timeline and cost
Oil demand peak	IEA 2030 demand peak forecast vs industry view	Is peak demand imminent or still decades away?

Houston: the global oil capital

Houston is not just symbolic as a WPC host — it is the operational centre of global oil and gas:

Home to ExxonMobil (global HQ in adjacent Spring, TX), Chevron (moved HQ from San Francisco), ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66, LyondellBasell, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, and hundreds of E&P and oilfield services companies
The Houston Ship Channel hosts the largest US petrochemical complex, including major ethylene crackers and refinery clusters
The Texas Gulf Coast refinery complex (Houston–Beaumont–Port Arthur) is the world's largest refining cluster, with ~5 mb/d of capacity
Houston's futures and physical trading market for WTI crude is the world's most liquid oil market. For WTI benchmark details, see our WTI glossary entry.

US shale: the supply story heading into WPC 2026

The shale revolution's structural impact on global markets — the defining energy story of the 2010s — will be a central WPC 2026 theme:

Year	US crude production (mb/d)	Key development
2008	~5.0	Pre-shale boom; US a declining producer
2012	~6.5	Shale takes off in Bakken, Eagle Ford
2018	~11.0	US overtakes Saudi Arabia as largest producer
2019	~13.0	Peak pre-COVID; Permian dominant
2024	~13.3	Post-COVID recovery complete; growth slowing
2026	~13.4–13.7	Permian growth decelerating; consolidation among operators

For how US shale supply caps global crude prices, see our analysis of the 2025 oil price crash and our spare capacity glossary entry. For the LNG export growth story, see our US LNG export surge analysis.

Energy transition debate at WPC 2026

The World Petroleum Congress has become a forum where the industry's response to the energy transition is debated — between those who see a rapid structural decline in oil demand and those who see continued growth in developing markets for decades to come. The 2026 WPC in Houston will be particularly pointed because:

The IEA's Net Zero Emissions scenario calls for no new oil and gas field development beyond those already approved — a direct challenge to the upstream investment decisions of WPC attendees
The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has made the US simultaneously the world's largest oil producer and the world's largest clean energy investor — embodying the "all of the above" energy strategy that many WPC members advocate
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is increasingly presented as the mechanism that allows continued fossil fuel use while meeting climate goals — Houston's geology (Gulf Coast aquifer storage formations) makes Texas a natural CCS hub

For the energy transition's long-term implications for fuel demand, see our energy transition glossary entry. For the ADIPEC perspective from the Middle East producer side, see our ADIPEC 2027 preview.

Frequently asked questions

What is the World Petroleum Congress? The World Petroleum Congress is the oil and gas industry's premier triennial event, held every three years since 1933 by the World Petroleum Council. It brings together energy ministers, NOC and IOC CEOs, and technical experts covering the full upstream-to-downstream value chain. The 2026 edition in Houston is the first US hosting since 1987, reflecting the US emergence as the world's largest oil and gas producer via the shale revolution.: The World Petroleum Congress is the oil and gas industry's premier triennial event, held every three years since 1933 by the World Petroleum Council. It brings together energy ministers, NOC and IOC CEOs, and technical experts covering the full upstream-to-downstream value chain. The 2026 edition in Houston is the first US hosting since 1987, reflecting the US emergence as the world's largest oil and gas producer via the shale revolution.
When and where is the World Petroleum Congress 2026? WPC 2026 takes place 22–26 September 2026 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Houston hosts as the world's oil and gas capital — home to ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and the world's largest refining cluster on the Texas Gulf Coast.: WPC 2026 takes place 22–26 September 2026 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Houston hosts as the world's oil and gas capital — home to ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and the world's largest refining cluster on the Texas Gulf Coast.
How does US shale production affect global petrol prices? US shale acts as a structural price ceiling for crude oil. When Brent rises above ~$80–85/barrel, US shale operators accelerate drilling, adding supply within 6–9 months that caps further price increases. The US at 13+ mb/d of production limits OPEC+'s pricing power compared to the pre-shale era. This price ceiling benefits fuel consumers globally: without shale, the 2022 price spike would likely have been more severe and prolonged.: US shale acts as a structural price ceiling for crude oil. When Brent rises above ~$80–85/barrel, US shale operators accelerate drilling, adding supply within 6–9 months that caps further price increases. The US at 13+ mb/d of production limits OPEC+'s pricing power compared to the pre-shale era. This price ceiling benefits fuel consumers globally: without shale, the 2022 price spike would likely have been more severe and prolonged.